Trisha signed her name, printed her name, initialed her name, and wrote the date. Lucia took the paper and scanned through it. Finally, she gave a nod of approval. “Everything looks to be in order. We may proceed.”
Now, it was Dante’s time to speak. “Now that’s settled, we can go onto the business. However, would you like a drink first? We got a fully stocked liquor cabinet like any self-respecting motorcycle club. We have rum, gin, a couple of imported German beers, and a Johnny Walker Blue Label from before my dad’s time-”
“Water for now,” Lucia interjected, pouring a glass from a nearby pitcher. She wanted this meeting to be a sober business transaction. “We’ll be here for a while.”
Trisha took the glass of water. “Water is fine. So what is this offer about? I understand the need for cloak and dagger contracts in the corporate world but why are you interested in me?”
Dante took a deep breath before speaking. “I think the best way to do business is to be honest about your intentions. If this plan has to succeed, I have to be forthright about this offer and what we want from you… what I want from you.”
Trisha leaned forward in interest. Lucia, however, had a look of panic on her face. “Dante-“
“I need a girlfriend.”
Trisha did a double take when she heard those words. “Could you repeat that?”
“I need a girlfriend,” Dante said. “Preferably, someone who I can eventually parade around as my fiancé but just a girlfriend for now.”
Trisha stared back in disbelief. “Could I ask why you’ve brought me here and asked me to be your girlfriend?”
The farm girl wondered if the entire Black Hound motorcycle club was insane. This seemed like some part of a gang initiation ceremony for new recruits. She half expected some young biker to come in, tie her up, and cover her face in chrome spray in order to move up the club’s ranks.
“It’s not exactly what it seems,” he admitted. “Our business is set to do well for itself when it goes public. An important part of that is ensuring that this is a clean business with a healthy future. You’ve heard about our initial public offering? I hope you have or Lucia is going to gut the advertising team.”
Trisha nodded even though she struggled to follow the line of logic. “Yeah, I heard it was a record for an American vehicle manufacturing company.”
“Good, that should be how it ends up,” Dante replied. He seemed uncertain of what to say. It was as if he didn’t want to agitate her and cause her to leave. “However, these things are often based on rumors rather than reality. People still think we’re some violent gang that rides around and does stickups.”
“I take it that’s not true?”
Dante nodded. “Our uncle served his time. During his years in prison, the Black Hounds have transformed from a recreation club with one too many brush-ins with the law into a legitimate business. We’ve even had the FBI and government accountants look at us. We’ve come out clean. However, winning over the general public is another challenge entirely. Sometimes, you need a new look to show that you’ve really changed.”
“But you made your uncle into a board member!” Trisha stated in bewilderment. “You wouldn’t have this scandal if you didn’t invite him back into your company. Why did you add him to the board when all it’s done is cause you trouble?”
“Blood is thicker than water,” Dante answered. “That man has given us more than we ever deserved.”
“You said you would be forth coming,” Trisha stated, folding her arms. “What is it that you’re trying to accomplish?”
Dante and Lucia exchanged a look. His sister nodded before the club president spoke. “Have you heard about how my Uncle Cass got arrested?”
“Yeah, it was for armed robbery,” she replied. “There was a shootout and your uncle got injured and caught.”
“It was an ambush,” Lucia corrected. “They were setup by the Red Aztecs, one of our old rivals down South. One of their lieutenants got cold feet and made a deal with the Feds. He offered to sell out his own club. However, the Feds drove a hard bargain. Eventually, he offered to give them the Black Hounds’ leaders as well in exchange for amnesty. He leaked us bad information about a Red Aztec convoy route and had the Feds lying in ambush.”
“They?” Trisha interjected. “He wasn’t the only one there?”
“Our father was there as well,” Dante revealed. “It was supposed to be his last job as club president. He wanted to retire and be with his family. He feared this war with the Red Aztecs was getting out of hand. It had already cost the life of mom’s brother. He didn’t want it to claim our lives as well. Uncle Cass was next in line to be club president after he left.”
“But I heard that your father and the club were absolved of any major criminal charges. Why didn’t they catch your father?”
“The Black Hounds know their roads better than any Fed ever will,” Dante continued. “Dad and Uncle Cass saw that it was setup. However, the Feds had already begin to encircle them. The only way one of them could get out was for the other to cause a distraction.”
“What happened next?” Trisha asked, listening intently. “How did your father escape?”
“Uncle Cass took the fall for our father… in more ways than one,” Dante said with a sigh. “He made a loud enough distraction that allowed our father to slip in through a small hole in police barricade. No one suspected he was even there.”
“Uncle Cass took the full brunt of the blame,” Lucia added. “He said he was the only one at the scene of the robbery. He even told the Feds the Black Hound’s criminal activities were entirely his idea. He took a lengthy jail sentence to save the rest of his family. Sure, the club was under scrutiny for years. However, no charges were pressed due to Cass’s confessions and a lack of evidence.”
Dante elaborated. “We were lucky that the prosecutor was politician running for election. He had a clean confession handed to him on a silver platter. He took an easy win and ended the case there and then. He was in a rush to run for office with a ‘tough on crime’ bullet point on his brochure. The Black Hounds got a stay of execution so long as they behaved.”
Trisha tried to digest the new revelation. “Why would your uncle do that?”
Lucia continued. “Unlike his brother, he had no wife or children to go back to. The club needed his president. Dad was torn up with guilt for years. He made sure Uncle Cass had the best lawyers so he could get out as soon as possible. It’s why he came out as early as he did.”
“Dad wanted to change this motorcycle club,” Dante said. “He had lost his brother due to their vigilantism. Violence just bred more violence. He started to transform the club into a motorcycle brand. He wanted it to be an honest business that would help people without the need for violence. Now, it time for us to finish the job.”
Trisha smiled at the two. She didn’t approve for these illegal activities. Nevertheless, she appreciated the idea of making a difficult choice for the sake of family. “I think I understand, Dante.”
“Now you understand why I brought him back after he was released,” Dante said, walking to Trisha. “Lucia and I would have grown without a father if he hadn’t made that sacrifice. We want him here. The media be damned.”
“However, things would go a lot sooner if we could control the message,” Lucia stated. “If Dante is the face of the brand, then we have to show the world that he is a changed man.”
Trisha pieced together their plan. “So your company needs someone who can make your biker look like a model citizen? At least until the whole thing with your uncle blows over?”
“That’s correct,” Dante answered. “I need to show the world that I’m settling down to distract them from Uncle Cass’s release. Trisha, you are the perfect person for this part. Let’s show the media some glitzy romance to distract them from excavating the past.”
“Dante, it’s a very… interesting offer,” Trisha began, sitting awkwardly in the chair. She was a failure that had no place sta
nding next to the handsome CEO of a successful company. She was a plain looking woman who couldn’t run the family business. “But I’m not sure I’m the right person for this. You need some beautiful upper class businesswoman who didn’t end up to her ears in debt. Besides, I’m not that clean.”
“Sure, you have dirt behind the ears,” Dante joked. “But that’s considered squeaky clean in this line of business.”
“No, I mean I’m not some perfect angel who has never sinned,” she replied, eyes downcast. “Running a farm hasn’t made me feel like a good person. I’ve had to lay off workers who had families to feed. I’ve told friends off who told me to sell the farm. My pride has been fighting my reason and winning. Hell, I even threatened to hit a guy because he cancelled an order at the last minute and went to one of the big farms to save a nickel.”
“That’s how the Black Hounds used to say hello in the old days,” Lucia giggled, temporary breaking her stoic demeanor. “Compared to a hell-raiser like Dante, you’re practically a nun.”
“Trisha, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to find another person like you,” Dante replied, eyes glinting with compassion. “Running a farm has brought out your best qualities. You’re an intelligent woman who has done the best with the cards you were dealt. I’ve seen how much you care about your family’s farm. You care about your workers. You donate food to the poor. You’re not afraid to get your hands dirty. Literally, not metaphorically, speaking.”
Trisha laughed and began to clean the dirt caked in-between her fingers. The man knew how to brighten her spirits. “I’m sure you have some backup plan if I refuse. We just met yesterday. There’s probably someone out there that is a better fit.”
“You’ve made a stronger impression on me in those few hours,” Dante replied, taking the woman’s hand in his. The two locked eyes. “Than people have made after working for hours with me. You’re right person for this. I want the Black Hound Motorcycle Company to be like Foxtail Farms.”
Trisha broke into a half smile. “Heavily in debt with the only vehicles being a pair of tractors, a pickup truck made during the Reagan administration, and a beat up coupe?”
The club president couldn’t help but chuckle. “No, an honest family business that gives back to the community.”
Lucia chipped in. “Even if the means of getting there aren’t exactly honest.”
“Assuming I agree,” Trisha began, feeling the texture of the man’s hand. “I’m not even sure what to do. You’re talking about placing me in the direct path of a media blitz. What if I screw up?”
Dante let go of her hand and the farm girl instantly missed it. “We’ll guide you through everything. For now, we have to get our story straight.”
“Story?”
“How we met,” Dante elaborated. “Let’s say… I went joyriding and came across your farm. It was love at first sight once I talked to you over fresh strawberries and pasta. Our mothers knew each other but we never had the pleasure of meeting face to face until this faithful day. I immediately pursued you as my girlfriend. It’s sexy enough for the media buy it but not too far from the truth.”
Trisha nodded. “It’ll be a lot easier to pull off if half the stuff I say is actually true. I take it there is a lot more to this arrangement than pretending to fall instantly in love with each other?”
Lucia read off list detailing their plan. “We’ll need the two of you to sell the act of a very public romance. You’ll have dates and attend parties. Dante can have you at a few company banquets. Trisha, you could invite him into some of your business dealings. Perhaps, the two of you could show up at one of Trisha’s food charity events. Of course, it would be best if we have the proposal happen early on for maximum impact.”
Trisha nearly shot up from her chair. “Proposal?”
“Yes, we’ll need you to pretend to be engaged to me,” Dante explained. “It’ll show that I’m serious about changing and settling down. We’ll even have you move into my penthouse apartment as my live-in girlfriend turned fiancé.”
“Are we going have a wedding?” Trisha asked. “Do I have to leave my home and live with you?”
“It depends on how long we have to keep the act up,” Dante answered, amused at the idea. “Hopefully, everything goes to plan and we can proceed with the IPO. Until then, I’ll need you to stay at my place. It’ll be more convenient than having you ferried back and forth across the city. You’ll have everything you ever wanted at my place.”
Trisha was more intimidated rather than excited at the thought of living in the lap of luxury. She had grown up poor and lived as a poor woman who could barely pay the bills. She was proud of what see had even if it wasn’t much. It felt strange to entertain the idea of leaving her home and living in an apartment with a man she barely knew. Her house was littler more than her a hovel but it was a hovel she had grown up in.
“Assuming I agree to this arrangement,” Trisha said. “What do I do at your place? Read a book until you bring a camera crew over to the apartment?”
“We don’t have many conspirators that know the truth about this romance,” Lucia said, breaking her icy demeanor with a laugh. She tried to hide her amusement at the arrangement. “You’ll have to play the part from minute you get up from bed. Dante’s friends and business partners could visit any moment. Paparazzi may follow wait outside of the apartment building. We can’t risk anyone asking if the whole relationship is a sham.”
“Just who is on this whole fake relationship plan?” Trisha probed. “The guy who drove me here said he couldn’t answer any questions. Who is in the loop?”
“For now, assume that only Dante, Uncle Cass, and I know the truth,” Lucia answered. “There are a few more conspirators but the circle must remain small. It’ll be easier to prevent leaks if we keep this a secret among a handful of people. This means you have to play your part as long as possible.”
“So I just have to worry about the other three hundred people who work for your company,” Trisha mused, massaging her temples. She now understood why they were willing to pay her so much. “One slip up and it’s over. I could forget to kiss you goodnight and half the company will speculate we’re having a fight. Or if looks like we haven’t made love in-”
Dante looked at the worried expression on Trisha’s face. “Trisha, this is a… business arrangement between us. I always treat my business partners with the utmost respect and understanding. This includes you.”
Trisha ruminated over all the information she had heard. If this wasn’t outright a crime, then she was skirting a very fine line. However, Dante’s heart seemed to be in the right place. He was also willing to pay her very well for it. “It’s a lot to take in Dante. Even, if I accept it, someone has to look after my farm. It would look bad for both of us if I left my family’s business for a romance with some biker I met one day.”
“You told my brother that you were training someone to look after the farm’s operations,” Lucia probed. “Could you arrange this person to look after it in your absence? We’ll provide as much assistance on our end so your farm is stable and you can focus on this job.”
Trisha slowly nodded. “Sure, I can work out an arrangement…”
“I understand that it’s a lot to take in,” Dante consoled. “I’d hope for a speedy decision. However, I know you’ll naturally feel apprehensive about agreeing to this. Take some time to go over this decision.”
“Thank you.”
“Are you feeling thirsty?” Dante asked, picking up his leather jacket. The Black Hounds logo was proudly displayed on its back. “How about we go for a drink down at a pub that’s right around the corner from here? Finest watering hole in the city if you ask me. It’ll be on us.”
TRACKING TRISHA - A Black Hounds Motorcycle Club Romance (The Fox and the Hounds Book #1) Page 4
